Student's long journey ends with OU-C degree
CHILLICOTHE – With guest speaker Larry Gates reminding them that the attitude they bring to life is everything, those who will receive degrees from their work at Ohio University-Chillicothe were honored in a Recognition of Graduation ceremony at the Shoemaker Center on Friday night.
Among them was Mishion Payne, who reflected on her long journey to earning a bachelor's degree in applied management. The 2000 Chillicothe High School graduate attended Shawnee State University for a year after graduation and then put in a year at OU-C before getting married.
Her intent was a one-term break from school. With the demands of family and work, however, that one term off became seven years.
Wanting to better her career prospects and expand her options, Payne made the difficult decision at age 30 to return to school and pursue her degree.
"When I came to register for classes, I was told I would be placed on academic probation from eight years prior," she said. "I was sad and embarrassed at 30 years old to be returning to college."
She considers herself lucky, however, to have encountered faculty and staff who recognized what was in the past was not a reflection of the potential that was to come.
"I was fortunate to meet with faculty member Tom Brown," she said. "He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and he blessed me so much with his encouragement. He kept telling me that I can make it, but I have to stay focused and have a goal in mind."
Brown passed away in August, but the fire he helped light in Payne played a large role in getting her to Friday night's ceremony. Taking advantage of what she called a "life-changing experience," she became involved in a group effort as part of the winning team in the PORTSfuture business pitch competition and parlayed a required internship she served at her workplace, Homeland Credit Union, into a promotion to a mortgage loan officer position.
She has far exceeded her initial goal of getting an associate degree, and she closed her remarks offering the ceremony's student reflection by congratulating her classmates on a job well done.
Gates, the evening's keynote speaker, offered some life lessons he's learned from a lengthy professional career that saw him rise to senior vice president for human resources and administration for the Philip Morris Companies.
The Chillicothe High School graduate, upon retirement, returned to Chillicothe and, with wife, Mary, established the Gates Foundation Ross County Scholarship Fund from which more than 150 scholarships have been awarded.
Gates told those in attendance that the successful people he has encountered have all been good listeners, not worried about who got credit for successes and knew how to take responsibility for helping their bosses accomplish their goals. He also encouraged students to bring conviction to their ideas and stand by them.
"Don't let yourself be intimidated by professionals," he said. "If you have a better idea, if your plan makes more sense, then insist on being heard. If you don't, you're never going to make a difference."
During the ceremony, OU-C alumnus Stephen Gary received the Rich Bebee Leadership Award in recognition of a 35-year tenure as CEO of Savings Bank in Circleville and his contributions to the community.
About 350 students received either an associate, bachelor's or master's degree from Ohio University while attending the Chillicothe campus this academic year, and about 180 took part in Friday's ceremony.
